Review from Harmony

The Infinity Pool is a book of Literary Fiction with a steady pace and a thread of unease running throughout the read until the end. On Amazon, one of its genre categories is listed as ‘Mystery/Thriller’, but this is somewhat misleading, as it isn’t anywhere near what a reader would expect from this genre. While it does contain a low element of suspense, it sits more firmly within the Literary Fiction category and doesn’t hold any twists or thrills and spills.
Rather, this story takes a look at what happens when a traditional small island community clashes with the Western interlopers from a nearby holiday camp that offers ‘Peace and Happiness’. The novel examines cultural prejudices and what might happen when lines are crossed. The book opens with the brutal attack of the resort director, Adrian, who is left for dead. It then covers the events leading up to his current demise. Once the tale weaves its way to the end of the summer, the narrative takes up in Part 2 with the resort re-opening in June of the next year, where Adrian is missing and unaccounted for.
The characters are well developed and distinctive, and the scene setting has the reader sitting at the pool right alongside them, fully a part of the community and experiencing what they do. Norrie has a knack for astute description that doesn’t overdo it. I love how she can mix the languid heat and siestas with a subtle sense of tension and menace, so that the two are woven together seamlessly.
This would have been a 5 star read for me if not for the numerous spelling and punctuation hiccups along the way. Which is frustrating when so much skill is shown in other areas. The amount of coughs and sneezes give this book a chronic cold that’s liable to leave the reader a little watery eyed if they notice this kind of thing–which I do.
So, it gets a strong 4 stars instead, which means it’s a great read and well worth buying. Just don’t expect a classic Mystery/Thriller, because you won’t get one, but you will get a tense and enjoyable read with a steady unfolding.